Never pull a gun unless your goin to use it...You may be squeemish about killing but the intruder may not be....and if you use it you may end up in a cell about the same size as the camper your in now.

We're completing our 17th year, happily 1/3rd of our married life, traveling 7 months a year. We have never once have been approached for money or anything else while in our camper. Our travel rules are simple, stop early and spend the night in a campground.

We don't park at Walmarts or other like places, though we tried it once. We have stayed at some tough looking RV parks over the years but again were always treated like friends.

I don't have any statistics but I suspect you're safer in your trailer than walking down many city streets.

We have stayed in Winslow, AZ a number of times, a jumping off point to one of our favorite places, the Chiricahua Mountains. Nothing but good experiences.

Part of our approach to life is to stay away from danger times and places. We don't drive late at night, people out then can be a problem, The other day a man in NYC was riding his bike at 1AM and was knocked out by a passerby. He's still in a coma. I've always told our children that people on the roads or out simply out then are statistically dangerous.

We stop soon enough to camp where there are other campers. My life is not going to turn on camping fees. We camp a lot where we are the only person in the campground but being in a campground adds a measure of security if you need it.

By the way we don't carry guns though I have nothing against them and own guns. We're frequently in Canada and would not want to make a mistake and carry one into Canada.

We're in Newfoundland now and provincial parks are $15 USD a night with electricity, a really good deal.

Never had a good nights sleep at a WM so we avoid them if possible. From what we've seen many easy access free overnight spots attract more then their share of undesirables. I'd rather pay $30 to feel safe and sleep well.

Norm and Ginny nailed it. The key is to avoid situations where there could be a problem.

If you're going to overnight in a Wal-Mart parking lot in a busy or frequented area instead of a campground, then you can reasonably expect there will be tradeoffs for having saved a few bucks - like a bum banging on your door at 5 am.

__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."

Camping doesn't seem the same as it did years ago. Campers can become afraid camping. We need to clean up our environment so we can live without fear in our country.

Violent crime has been trending steadily downwards. It's way safer now than it ever was.

I travel and camp alone quite a lot as well as going on all-day solo hikes, and I often get asked whether I feel unsafe. For women, statistically speaking, their number one danger scenario is their intimate partners and male family members, so by that measure women are probably safer ditching everybody they know and heading out camping alone.

Our trailer new cost us $20 K and even if it was $120 K it's still not enough money for me to take a life. We've been hassled when camping far more by drunks than panhandlers .
The only Smith & Wesson we own are cough drops and cooking oil !

Some trust inanimate objects like Smith and Wesson.
Some trust government to protect them....
I trust the Holy Spirit to guide my decisions on where to stop overnight and on whether to give charity. He has never steered me wrong, being smarter and a better friend than any useful inanimate object.
Guns don't make men anymore than wrenches make mechanics.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Norm, you may be thinking of Willcox, not Winslow. Winslow is on I-40 near the Painted Desert in northern Arizona. Willcox is in southeastern Arizona.

All this talk about panhandlers in Winslow, Arizona, hasnít anyone there seen a girl in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at you? It would be such a fine sight to see. In any case, we oughta take it easy. Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. Lighten up while you still can.